We Were Only Seven

Chapter 14

I forgot all my pain in that instant. I rushed back, hiding from the staff members, straight into my van that dropped me to the dorm. I secretly entered the room, taking my stuff - my wig actually. And left again. Hopefully, no one noticed. Sneaking myself in a public restroom, I again transformed into Park Ari. This is becoming more and more exhausting as days pass by.

But, it's no time to think of my discomfort. I took a cab to my home street and it took approximately half an hour cause fortunately, the streets were clear of traffic. I entered my home, my eyes landed on Ra Im, who was sitting on the couch, her face buried in her palms.

"I'm here.."

"Oh thank God, finally! Do something!"

I nodded, actually I had no idea what should I do. How can the world expect from an 18 year old to act all mature and do what is required?

I knocked on the door, "Areum..? Areum ah.. ?"

"Unnie?"

"Yeah its me."

The door unlocked and as soon as it opened, I felt Areum's frail body against mine. I hugged her quick.

"What is it? What happened to the Great Areum?" I said, lightly patting her head.

"Unnie.. can.. can.." she sniffled couple of few times.

"Just speak your heart."

"Can I not go to school?"

My eyes widened as they intercepted more light than I expected. I made her sit on the couch, wiping off her tears as I sat down on the floor, holding her knees so, I could see her face.

"And can I ask why?"

"I just don-"

"The truth Areum."

"You know, Lee Hye Jin?"

"Your friend?"

"Not anymore." She chuckled darkly. "She, along with her friends ... They.. they.." she broke into a fist of tears and that was heart wrenching. I held onto her small hands tightly giving her courage.

"She called me to the terrace. A-and s-she threw eggs on me .. A-and then .. she made me ... Kn-kneal in front of her." Tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly, no matter how much I tried to pacify her reiterating grief.

She was bullied. But why? She was always the popular kid in school. Maybe because.. Fuck.

"They make fun of me cause I am bald," she looked into my eyes with her sad and desolate ones, "Is it my fault that I have cancer?"

I got up and hugged her tightly, "No! It's not your fault at all."

"Then.. then why did they." She cried a bit more and I felt myself tearing up. How can someone do this to my Areum? How can kids be this treacherous? Infact, how could life be this intimidating?

I glanced at Ra Im once and she was sobbing too. What should I do? A single tear rolled down my cheeks but I wiped it off before anyone could notice.

"Come on Areum, don't tell me you're scared." I parted from the hug and glanced at her teary eyes once but I didn't lose my resolve.

"I-I am n-not scared."

"Oh is it? Look at me," I said as she turned her face towards me, "you know what, people always envy the different and therefore they try to bring them down denying their beauty."

"For instance?"

"Umm... Like when she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars didn't say that she was beautiful, they said that she was weird. They wanted her to change back to what she had always been.
But, she had wings. Now tell me, what's better, being a caterpillar or a butterfly?"